Newspapers are disappearing and blogs are popping up everywhere. People are tweeting and selling products on YouTube and using social networking to tell the world about the great works their nonprofits are doing.
Public relations is different in the digital age, but its still about developing relationships with reporters, editors and writers who can help you reach your audience.
It requires two-way communication, meaning in addition to sending out your message, you need to be receiving feedback from your audience.
Good media relations habits are like flossing your teeth - you need to have a plan for doing them and you need to do them regularly.
- A public relations plan starts with an assessment of what the media knows about your organization, and an honest evaluation of the opportunities and challenges you face in getting out your message.
- The next step is focusing on your communications goals and objectives to see what type of public relations strategy fits your marketing structure.
- A well-developed plan includes clear steps for exactly what type of media – print, broadcast, and web-based – you will try to use to help you tell your story.
- Your plan will help you know whether to spend more time on social media or traditional media.
- Finally, a successful public relations plan helps you evaluate how successful your efforts have been.
Whether you develop your own plan or hire a company like Draper Communications to assist you, you'll never reach your communciations goals if you don't have a plan.
